Translator of Hebrew and Latin to English

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Permalink Reply by Peter J. Matthews on August 5, 2008 at 7:51

Dear Stewart,

Have you had experience translating botanical descriptions from Latin to English? I have a copy of William L. Stearn's Botanical Latin, but do not trust my own attempts to translate plant descriptions.

Please advise!

Thanks

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Permalink Reply by Peter J. Matthews on August 5, 2008 at 22:10

Dear Stewart,

Here is an example of Botanical Latin, in the form of a JPEG file, brevis.

Colocasia is the plant I study. The Latin name is actually an old Italian vernacular name based on the Greek vernacular, kolokasi, which can be traced back through Arabic qolqas to Sanskrit. The plant is apparently also mentioned in very old Hebrew writings, but I have not followed that line of enquiry yet, and have no record of the Hebrew form of the name.

P.

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Permalink Reply by Karin Vaneker on April 7, 2012 at 2:02

www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org -google Colocasia & you'll find the Hebrew spelling and a reference to Ma'as 5:8 which might be an abbrevation of the first Book of the Torah 'Ma'aseh B'reshit' (Genesis). I also found a few Jewish reference to "Egyptian Bean" & Elephant Ear. Western/English language translations often contain mistakes in regard to the translation of plant names. A Bible scholar, even a rabbi, will be able to help you, if he knows the Torah reference (Ma'as 5:8) and the word in the Hebrew letters.  This also as the spelling in the Torah is unchanged for 2,500 years.

So here's the Hebrew Letters for Kulkas. 

1. Qoph (Kuf or Kof) Number 19 (of the Hebrew alphabet)

2. Resh Number 20

3. Qoph Number 19

4 Samech Number 15

If by any chance I run into a rabbi, I'll ask him to explain/contextualize the reference and let you know... 

Karin

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